SAND STAND

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure A portable table apparatus has an upper table top with a centrally located post opening, a lower table top including a centrally located post opening and being positioned below said first table top, a pole having a distal end for penetrating a substrate and an opposite end for passing through the centrally located pole opening in said upper table top and in said lower table top, a support bracket including a centrally located post opening for engaging and supporting one or more beverages, and a curtain removably positioned around the outer edge of said upper table top.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

CROSS-REFERENCES TO OTHER RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application serial No. 10/906,072 filed February 2, 2005 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

SUMMARY

An embodiments of the claimed subject matter is a portable table apparatus that includes an upper table top with a centrally located post opening, a lower table top including a centrally located post opening and being positioned below said first table top, a pole having a distal end for penetrating a substrate and an opposite end for passing through the centrally located pole opening in said upper table top and in said lower table top, a support bracket including a centrally located post opening for engaging and supporting one or more beverages, and a curtain removably positioned around the outer edge of said upper table top. Another embodiment includes a post that is made up of multiple removable pipe sections.

Other embodiments include the use of a post which is made up of two or more sections of pipe segments securely held in place by sleeves. Another embodiment uses two or more sections of threaded pipe attached together to form a post. Another embodiment uses a removable curtain attached with hook and loop material so that it may be positioned around the outer edge of the upper table top.

Another embodiment includes a pocket attached to the underside of said lower table top. Yet another embodiment includes a removable curtain positioned around the outer edge of the upper table top as well as the outer edge of said lower table top, fastened to the outer edges of both tables with hook and loop material. In some embodiments, the post may be made up of one or more sections, with each section made from plastic, wood, paper, rubber, metal, Plexiglas, or Lexan. Embodiments may also include elastic straps attached to said lower table top, elastic straps attached to said upper table top, and more than one lower table tops.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of the claimed subject matter; and

FIG. 2 illustrates a component view of an embodiment of the claimed subject matter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the claimed subject matter are generally illustrated in FIGS. 1-2.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of portable table apparatus 10 having an upper table top 12 that includes a centrally located post opening (shown with pipe section 18 passing through the opening,) a lower table top 16 including a centrally located post opening, a support bracket 24 including a centrally located post opening, a post 18 and a cap 22.

Support bracket 24 can be used for engaging and supporting one or more beverages situated on the lower table top 16.

The post 18 can be made up of one or more pipe sections and sleeve connectors having a distal end for penetrating a substrate and an opposite end for passing through the centrally located pole opening in said upper table top and the centrally located pole opening in the bracket 24, and the centrally located pole opening in the lower table top. A curtain (not shown) may be removably positioned around the outer edge of said upper table top 12, and it may also be removable attached to the outer edge of lower table top 16.

Upper table top 12, bracket 24 and lower table top 16 can be formed from wood, paper, rubber, metal, Plexiglas, Lexan, molded plastic or any other suitable material. Upper and lower table tops may also be equal in diameter and thickness or they may be different in dimensions and thickness. Upper table top 12 and lower table top 16 each have an edge which can be of any suitable height. In some embodiments, the thickness of the table tops can vary from 1/16” to 3 inches. Upper table top 12 and lower table top 16 may also be interchangeable. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, upper table top 12 and lower table top 16 are round, but they can be any size or shape. Bracket 24 may also be made into any suitable size or shape. It may accommodate four beverages as shown or it may accommodate fewer beverages. The shapes of the tables and bracket can also be an octagon, oval, square, rectangle, triangle, pentagon or a hexagon shape.

Other embodiments include upper and lower table tops with a surrounding rigid strip (not shown) which may be formed from metal, plastic or any other durable material. Hook and/or loop may be affixed to this rigid strip to facilitate the removal and securing of the curtain. This reinforced edge may be made up of one ore more hard, rigid strips positioned along a portion of the edge. The strips have a hook or loop material applied to the exterior of the strip or strips so as to complement the hook or loop found on the inside of curtain. A nylon mesh pocket (not shown) may also be affixed to the underside of lower table top 16 providing additional space for storage. Hook and loop may also be applied to the edge of lower table top 16.

Lower table top 16 may include a lip around the edge that raises the edge of lower table top 16, for instance to maintain soft drink cans in an upright position when portable table apparatus 10 is accidentally bumped or jarred during periods of wind gusts. Elastic straps, attached through or to the surface or any other area of lower table top 16 or upper table top 12 may also be used to hold items in place. Upper table top 12 may also include a similar lip around the edge of upper table top 12 and it may have elastic straps to hold items to the surface of upper table top 12.

The post 18 is used as a support stand for table apparatus 10 and it consists of one or more sections of pipe segment which may be formed with terminal beveled distal end at the lowermost segment to allow penetration into sand or soil with ease. Post 18 can be slidably withdrawn from upper table top 12, bracket 24 and lower table top 16 so that the individual parts can be conveniently transported and stored.

Upper table top 12 is positioned so that a top portion of post 18 may extends through and above the center of upper table top 12. Cap 22 is placed on the end of posy 18 securing the post 18 and cap 22 to upper table top 12.

When used in multiples to form a post 18, the pipe sections can the same or different lengths and diameters assembled to form a single post. A single pipe section may also be used as post 18. Post 18 may have an outer diameter of approximately two to three inches or the individual pipe sections may have varying diameters from 1/4 inch to 6 inches to form a post 18 with different diameters. Cap 22 can be secured to the distal end of post 18 using threading on the inside of cap and on the exterior of post 18, or the two may be secured with friction forming a snug fit.

Pipe sections, when combined to form post 18, can be secured together with connector sleeves (not shown) that may be integral to the pipe sections or the sleeves may be attached by the end user before the apparatus is put into use. In one embodiment, the connectors are positioned over the ends of the pipe sections and pressed together. In this embodiment no other components are needed to combine multiple pipe sections into a post 18. By removing or adding one or more pipe sections and/or by varying the length of each pipe section, the height of post 18 (and accordingly apparatus 10) can be adjusted. In another embodiment, the pipe sections may also be joined at the ends using complementary male and female threaded ends.

The curtain (not shown) can be affixed to the exterior edge of upper table top 12 so it is able to hang freely below the edge of table top 12. Hook and loop material such as Velcro® may be used to attach an edge of curtain to the outer edge of upper table top 12. The curtain has a hook or loop strip sewn into the interior so the curtain may also abut and be secured to the edge of lower table top 16 using an additional segment of hook and/or loop material sewn into a lower section of curtain so as to complement and abut a hook and/or loop strip on the edge of lower table 16. The curtain may also be attached to upper table 12 and lower table 16 with other materials or in any suitable manner, for example such as with the use of a clip placed on the side, upper surface or lower surface of upper table top 12.

The curtain can be made of fabric, cloth, plastic, metal, rubber, latex or other similar material and the apparatus could come in different colors, lengths and shapes. The length may be long enough to cover more than one lower table 16, for instance in a length up to 72 inches long. It may also be short, such as 1” long for other embodiments. It can also be from 1 to 72 inches wide so that it does not wrap around the table tops completely or so that it wraps around the table tops several times. The shape of the curtain may be square, rectangular, triangular or any other suitable shape. The curtain can provide protection against wind blowing over drinks or other items placed on lower table 16. These items, for example drinks or personal electronic equipment, can thus be protected from elements such as sand and sun.

FIG. 2 illustrates the relative positions of upper table 12, lower table 16 and bracket 24 when assembled on pipe section 18. Apparatus 10 is thus easy to assemble, easy to transport, and light to carry. When disassembled, portable table apparatus 10 can be compactly stored and transported in a nylon or fabric bag. It can be used for the beach, parks, backyards, picnics and many other places.

Apparatus 10 may be constructed at the factory to a predetermined height or it may be height adjustable by the end user by using combinations of shorter and longer pipe sections. Embodiments of apparatus 10 are light in weight and able to be carried and set up by an individual on a beach or the like in a few minutes. Once in place, apparatus 10 should remain stationary even in strong winds and it can be used to protect valuables against the elements while the user is engaged in other activities. The apparatus 10 can be used to provide a personal storage surface for items at arms length. It can also be broken down into its components and stored easily when not in use, and when assembled, used to support drinks or food when one sits in an area with soft substrate such as the sand on a beach or grass at a park. After use, by simply reversing the assembly steps table apparatus 10 can be quickly disassembled and manually carried off until the next use.

The illustrations and examples provided herein are for explanatory purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A portable, collapsible table apparatus comprising: an upper table top, said upper table top including a centrally located post opening; a lower table top positioned below said upper table top, said table top including a centrally located post opening; a post having a distal end for penetrating a substrate and an opposite end for passing through the centrally located pole opening in said upper table top and in said lower table top; a support bracket including a centrally located post opening for engaging and supporting one or more beverages; and a curtain removably positioned around the outer edge of said upper table top.

2. The portable, collapsible table apparatus of claim 1, wherein said post is made up of two or more sections of pipe securely held in place by sleeves.

3. The portable, collapsible table apparatus of claim 1, wherein said post is made up of two or more sections of threaded pipe attached by said threads.

4. The portable, collapsible table apparatus of claim 1, wherein said curtain is removably positioned around the outer edge of said upper table top with hook and loop material.

5. The portable, collapsible table apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pocket attached to the underside of said lower table top.

6. The portable, collapsible table apparatus of claim 1, wherein said curtain is removably positioned around the outer edge of said upper table top and the outer edge of said lower table top with hook and loop material.

7. The portable, collapsible table apparatus of claim 1, wherein said post is made up of multiple removable pipe sections.

8. The portable, collapsible table apparatus of claim 7, wherein said post is constructed from one or more of the following group: plastic, wood, paper, rubber, metal, Plexiglas, and Lexan.

9. The portable, collapsible table apparatus of claim 1, further comprising elastic straps attached to said lower table top.

10. The portable, collapsible table apparatus of claim 1, further comprising elastic straps attached to said upper table top.

11. The portable, collapsible table apparatus of claim 1, wherein said lower table top is more than one lower table tops.